Mobile grain hopper



July 27, 1948. F. A. MULLIGAN 2,445,886

MOBILE GRAIN HOPPER Filed Feb. 5, 1946 2 Sheets-sheaf. 1

July27,1948 FJ'A. MULLIGAN 2,445,886

Q MOBILE GRAIN HOPPER Filed Feb. 5, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 27, 1948 MOBILE GRAIN HOPPER Frederick A. Mulligan, Rosser, Manitoba, Canada Application February 5, 1946, Serial No. 645,602

, In Canada February 7, 1945 2 Claims. (01. 214 s3.16)

My invention relates to a mobile grain hopper,

the device so named being designed and intended for the purpose of being placed at suitable intervals along the course of a grain combine during the operation of harvesting to receive the grain of the conventional hopper with which combines are commonly provided, which may thereafter be transferred by grain-auger means into trucks or wagons for hauling to the granary.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which may be manufactured and sold for an inconsiderable price, and which, in the smaller sizes at all events, may be manually moved around over short distances when necessary, it being intended that grain farmers will own at least two or more of these vehicles, which may be spotted at suitable intervals adjacent the course of a combine-harvester for the purposeset forth in the next preceding paragraph.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects and advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my mobile grain hopper.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary frontal representation of the lower portion of my grain elevating auger and associated trough and front wall assembly.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the forward part of my mobile grain hopper.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

Considerable inconvenience is commonly experienced, and a considerable aggregate loss of valuable time during harvesting operations due to the combine-harvester hopper becoming filled to capacity with grain at a time when the haul-away trucks are absent. My invention seeks to remedy this situation and accordingly comprises the mobile grain hopper which is best exemplified in the accompanying Figure l, and which is an inexpensive and light-weight structure mounted if desired on pneumatic tires, and capable of being hauled at least for short distances manually, or over longer distances in trains one behind another by a tractor or truck for example.

Proceeding now to describe my construction in detail, it will be seen that the same comprises a hopper or tank per se enumerated I having side walls2 which incline downwardly towards each other in a curvilinear path to provide a trough 3 in which an auger 4 operates. The rear wall 5 inclines forwardly and downwardly towards the trough 3, front wall 6 being preferably vertical and provided at its base with an aperture 1 through which a shaft of the spiral conveyor 4 projects.

The above described hopper or tank is suitably reinforced by the structural members 8, and is supported on the rectangular horizontal framework 9 which includes the pair of diagonals l0 united by the fish plate I I to which is secured a swivelling caster assembly l2 of conventional design and a draw-bar link l3. The horizontal framework 9 is supported upon a pair of ground wheels l4 via the stub axles l5. My hopper or and upon the front side thereof is positioned a grain elevating auger including the cylindrical tube therefor collectively designated l8, and in the accompanying drawings, the same is shown inclined, or in other words, in the position into which it would be moved forthe operation of conveying grain from my tank to an adjacent truck or other vehicle; Between the aperture 1 in the space of my front wall 6, and the lower end of auger l8 extends a short duct 19, the same being rotatable in aperture 1 and provided with the interior and exterior flanges 20 and 2| to facilitate such rotation.

By reference to the accompanying Figure 2 it will be seen that shaft 22 of my horizontally disposed grain conveyor 4- is slightly offset with respect to the axis of aperture 1 in the base of my front wall, 6. Such eccentricity is however vertically below the axis of the said aperture, the said shaft being so positioned to provide for the concentric positioning of auger shaft 23 within the tubular housing 24.

Secured to the said housing 24 is a pair of spaced bearings 25 within which rotates a shaft 26 universally connected at the point 21 to a flexible power take-off shaft 28. Upon the end of shaft 22 but external to, and on the front side of the tube 24 is a bevelled pinion 29 in mesh with :a bevelled pinion 39 keyed for rotation to shaft 26 but movable endwise out of mesh therewith by means of the short key or splined portion 3|.

At the external end of shaft 23 is a sprocket cvheel 32, over which passes a sprocket chain is only intendedto 'be' swivelable between the vertical and approximately the angle of inclination illustrated, and in parallel with my front wall 6. Accordingly there will be no interception" of shafts 22 and 23, but when my augerhis; elevated into the vertical, it will first be necessary to unmesh the bevelled pinions-29" and 30*since the spatial relationships thereofewillchange as the auger is being rotated counter-clockwise with respect to Figure 2 in the vertical. There will however, be no difference in spatial relationships [between the sprocket wheels 32 and 33.

Fromxthe "foregoingcitwill be seen-that lihavew providedpeculiarly simplified and eflicient means: forr(1)' operatingymy horizontal conveyor and elevating-auger simultaneously, (2) providing va wholly: enclosed and :swivelling connection be tween the interior .:of my hopper or tank and-the inter-ior ofmy auger .lfig and (3) provided-i-means 1 whereby the. foregoing; may be accomplished without the necessity for gears rotatingwithim thegrain body; which of rcourse'wouldbe highly spirit and scope of the same it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense and I desire only such limitations placed thereon as justice dictates.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A mobile grain hopper for use particularly in connection with combine-harvesting, comprisingin combination a hopper'supported on a pair of Wheels, said hopper being formed of a substantially vertical front wall, and a grain supporting surface including downwardly converging side-walls, said front wall being apertured at the base thereof, a grain auger positioned in advance of and adjacent said front wall, a horizontal intercommunicating duct between said aperture and saidauger being rotatable in a vertical plane substantially parallel to saidrfront wall and' about said duct, power take-off mechanism associated with said auger, and a ground support for-the front-end of said: hopper tosustain the sameainmaximum grain holding position;- i

2.- The device according to claim- 1 which in! cludes a spiral grain conveyor in the base ofisaidehopper; saidpower take-off. mechanism being-g operativelyconnected to said auger and said conveyor to actuate both simultaneously.

FREDERIGK A.- MULLIGAN.

REFERENCES CITED he following references areof record in the nieol this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS. 

